Farming remains one of the UK’s most hazardous industries. According to the Health and Safety Executive, agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury (per 100,000) of all the main industry sectors, with the annual average rate over the last five years around 20 times as high as the all-industry rate.
Tragic accidents can cause life-changing injuries, and employers must take steps to ensure they and their staff can work safely.
In order for farm businesses to stay sustainable, health and safety measures need to be put in place and any issues addressed and resolved as quickly as possible.
Farmers Weekly – Farm Safety Resources for 2024
The Farmers Weekly recently highlighted advice from Northern Powergrid which forms part of their ‘Look Up It’s Live’ campaign ahead of Farm Safety Week 2024 (22nd – 26th July).
The Farmers Weekly website also offers a large selection of resources in the Know How area to help farmers, farm workers and farming families stay safe this harvest, and beyond. It includes articles offering practical advice, downloadable booklets, case studies and videos.
ATV Safety
ATVs such as quad bikes and side-by-side utility vehicles are designed to cope with a wide variety of off-road conditions, but if used carelessly can very rapidly become unstable.
- Always wear a suitable helmet
- Never carry a passenger
- Only children aged 13+ yrs are allowed to drive an ATV, and should receive formal training to do so
- Carry out regular safety checks and maintenance
For more information from HSE click here
News from the Farmers Guardian about the #wearItandShareIt campaign from the NAAC click here
Advice on working with Quads and ATVs from The Farm Safety Foundation click here
Tilly Pass
- The Tilly trailer Pass offers the opportunity for trailers to be maintained to the legal standard. For further information click here.
- To ask a question or Book your trailer for a Tilly, email: tillypass@gmail.com
- Download the Head to Tow app here to find the daily checklist for your trailer or find an authorised mechanic to carry out the Tilly Pass annual 18 point inspection on your trailer.
Safe Ag Systems
Safety management software developed for practical application on farm, Safe Ag Systems is designed to train and gather records in real-time and remove the physical paperwork associated with safety and compliance. See below links that are generalised to managing safety in agriculture.
- How to manage safety in agriculture
- 4 Steps in Risk Management to keep S.A.F.E.
- Why it’s important to keep records current in agriculture?
Farm Safety Foundation/Yellow Wellies
The Farm Safety Foundation have developed a series of guides that can be downloaded below:
The Farm Safety Partnership
The Farm Safety Partnership – of which FCN is a member – regularly runs campaigns focusing on different aspects of workplace safety.
Particularly when it comes to children, we all have a responsibility to ensure we’re farming safely and not putting anyone at risk.
Farms can be hazardous environments and the risk to children can be higher than other industries. It’s important to remember that children under the age of 13 are prohibited from driving or riding on any agricultural machine.
You can find out more about the work of the Farm Safety Partnership here.
Resources
- Agriculture Health and Safety (HSE)
- The Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies)
- Farm Safety and Risk Management (NFU Mutual)
- YFC Farm Safety (NFYFC)
- Farmwise – Your essential guide to health and safety in agriculture (HSE) – download below.
- What a good farm looks like – this guide helps you and other farmers understand common risks to health and safety on your farm (HSE) – download below.
Further information on farm safety can be found on the Personal Resilience page under working safely.